Thalek



G. R. SCHOENTHALER.

` SPACER FOR REINFOHGING BARS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC|1|| I9l6.

Patented Deo. 9, 1919.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

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Application filed P'eeer-.iber 11, 1916. Serial No. 136,202.

To all whom t may concern: Y

Be it known that I, Grenen R. SCHOEN- THALER, a citizen ot the United States, re-

siding at the cityoi Chicago,I county oi" Cook, and 'State of illinois, have invented ments in spacers forsupporting reinforcing rodsn in predetermined deiinite positions in the building o't concrete structures. it Vrelates particularly to the type` oft' such devices which are characterized by a. construe tion whereby the reinforcinglbars are supported not only at a deiinite predetermined distance'jirom the form, but also at predetermined distances from one another.

VIt is the object of 'the present invention to provide a spacer which may be. inanuiicN tured4 and used at a minimum cost, and which is possessed ot maximum strength and stability.V It is likewise my object to provide 'adevice ofthis sor-t having a constructionrsuch as will avoid the formation of air pockets in the concrete.

Other and urtherobjects will be obvious or pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, have illustrated two' forms in which my invention may be embodied. Y

Figure 1 being a side elevation ot the first form showing a reinforcing bar as retained in place; Y

Fg. 2, an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3, an end elevation of the second form; and y Fig. 4: a side elevation of said seco-nd form.

Byreference to these drawings, particularly Figs. l and 2, it will be observed that my device is formed from an integral strip of sheet metal l which is slotted transversely at proper intervals partially across its width to form toot members 2. The integrity of the device when thus slotted is maintained by the unslott-ed continuous barengaging portion 4. The leg` portions @are bent or deflected out `ot theI normal plane of the strip, someto one side thereof, and some tothe other, so as toV provide a suitthe strip upright edgewise. At

Vthat the stresses to which it is are received by the edge ot the strip and maintain inter *als may be adapted for the pas|- able supporting base which will in the bar-engaging portion 6L. formed perforations 5 sage of tie Vwires 6.` Y The use of the device is obvious, it beingv placed upon the formwor; with the lower extremities of the leg portions in Contact therewith, and the bars being laid upon the bar-engaging portion 4 and secured to the spacer by the tie wires G. rThe apertures 4for the passage of the tie wires are not essential to the device, as the tie wires may be passed under the bar-engaging portion between the adjacent offset leg portions. In this fashion, the bars are aaintained at the proper elevation above the torni, and

they are also retained in the proper relative spacial relationship. This device forms ,l very Stable spacer, by virtue of the fact subjected transmitted transversely of the strip in which direction, 'ot course, the device is most capable of receiving them. ll/Yhile the lateral deflect-ion of the leg portions f is suilicient to provide ,a sufficiently wide base for the support ot the device, it should not be to the extent of requiring the metal lo carry the weight oit' the supported bars simply by the thickness of the metal on the line of bend. Also the degree of deliection of the leg portions 2 should be such as to present an edge of the metal for contact with the supporting form structure so that, when the intended load is placed upon the spacer, the edges of the leg members 2 will bite into the supporting `form structure to A an extent sucient tovprevent the leg portions spreading under the imposedV load. in this fashion, the. stresses will be carried by the metal across the entire width of the strip, and by virtue of the fact that all of the leg portions form supporting struts, thc load will be distributed throughout Jthe length of the device. Consequently, the device is eti'ective in preventing the dow-nward displacement of the rein-forcing struc ture under the weight of the workman or material upon it, and the movement and pressure of the concrete when it is poured. Furthermore, the device avoids the torna tion of air holes or voids in the concrete, as it has no arched-over portions and the plastic material is afforded immediate and intimate access to all sides oi. it. A 'The low .and

cost of manufacture is obi-'ions :from the con struction of the device, as it is possible to form it entirely by one machine operation from a strip of sheet metal, and there is no Waste of material Whatever.

The `form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 1l has, in addition to the legs Q and bar-engaging portion 4l, a laterally turned marginal flange portion T along the upper edge oi" the bar-engaging portion. This laterally turned flange acts as a stiflener to prevent lateral bending of the device. lit desired, portions of this lateral flange may be slotted soV that they may be deflected upwardly to form ductile retaining fin gers 8 to be employed in securing the bars in position on the device. Consequently, the second forni ot the invention, in addition to the advantages above described With re- 'terencc to the first form, contains as an integral part the means ttor securing the reinforcing bars in posit-ion on the spacer.

lt is obvious, of course, that the invention may be incorporated in -forms differing in various particulars from those illustrated and described, and that it is not limited to a device which is intended for cooperation with a plurality of reinforcing` bars, but that it may be embodied in a form suitable ior use a clip or support for a single bar. ilrccordingly, it is my intention that the appended claims be understood to comprehend all forms properly within the scope or' the invention.

lllhat l: claim is:

l. As a new article of manufacture, a spacer formed oi a strip of' sheet metal slotted transversely 'from one of its edges ttor a portion of' its Width at longitudinal intervals, the disjoined portions being deflected laterally ont of the normal plane olf the strip to provide cooperating supporting struts having their lower margins adapted to contact into a supporting surface, a part oit the unslotted marginal portion of the strip lying in the normal plane and forming a connection for said supporting struts and a support for a bar, a part of said unslotted portion being flanged laterally from the normal plane of the strip to afford a stifening rib, and a ductile portion operable to retain a bar in position on the marginal portion.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a spacer formed of a strip of sheet metal slotted transversely from one of its edges for a portion of its width at longitudinalintervals, the disjoined portions being deflected laterally out of the normal plane of the? strip to provide supporting struts adapted for cooperation at their outer extremities with a supporting surface, a part of the unslotted marginal portion of' the strip remaining in the normal plane thereof and forming a connection for said supporting struts, and a part of said unslotted portion being flanged laterally from the normal plane of the strip to form a stifiening member.V

3. As a new article of manufacture, a spacer formed of' a strip of' sheet metal slotted transversely ,from one of its edges for a portion of its Width at longitudinal intervals, the disjoined portions being deflected laterally out of the normal plane of the strip to provide cooperating supporting legs adapted to contact With a supporting surface at their extremities, a part of the un slotted marginal portion of the Vstrip lying in the normal plane of the strip and forming a connection for said supporting legs, and a part of the unslotted portion being flanged laterally from its original plane and severed by a longitudinal cut to provide a ductile fin ger bendable about a bar extending trausversely of the strip to retain the bar thereon.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 6th day ofDecember, 1916.

esoneri n. soHonNri-IALER. 

